Who’s on the ballot? The May 8 primary candidates for the Asheville area

In North Carolina's May 8 primary, all Tar Heel voters will confront new district boundaries for Congress, the Statehouse and the N.C. Senate. And in Buncombe County, the commissioners will now also be chosen via district elections.

To help voters keep up with these changes, assistance is available both by phone and online:
• Call the Buncombe County Board of Elections 24/7 at 250-4200 and follow the recorded instructions to receive your individual voting overview. Or

• Go to the State Board of Elections’ Voter Lookup page (http://avl.mx/d2). Click on "My Election Information." Fill in the blanks and click "submit" to confirm your party status, precinct number and voting location. You can also view personalized sample ballots, depending on how you’re registered (Democratic, Libertarian, Republican or unaffiliated), that tell you which candidates will be on your ballot. Unaffiliated voters can choose any party’s ballot or a nonpartisan ballot containing only the proposed amendment to the state constitution (which appears on all of them).

With at least 30 possible ballot variations in Buncombe County alone, there’s a dizzying array of choices for candidates. Here’s a short list. (For a list of candidates running for statewide office, such as the governors race, go the state Board of Elections website.)